PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aragorn Arathorm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arathorm's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Aragorn Soundtrack. Silva comes into a darkened arena with his song building. BLUNT- The Iron Maiden kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Arathorm
vs
Silva

172 cm
23
196 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

186 cm
25
195 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Australian Xtreme - 159 Energy + Stamina!
Australian Xtreme - 159 Energy + Stamina!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Aragorn Arathorm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matt Silva!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arathorm misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silva.
Arathorm shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Silva misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Arathorm makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Silva throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Arathorm stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
A jab from Silva misses.
Arathorm defending well as Silva loads up on a big left hand.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Silva missing with a left hand there. Arathorm was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva scores with the left hand. Arathorm knows he should have avoided that one.
Silva misses the body punch
and Arathorm counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Silva misses with a jab to the body

and Arathorm counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Arathorm.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Arathorm is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is adopting a defensive guard.
Arathorm postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Silva looking to control.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Arathorm throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Arathorm keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.

Arathorm has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Silva is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Arathorm.
Arathorm might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Arathorm is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arathorm takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Arathorm manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Arathorm throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Arathorm thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Silva is pressing down on Arathorm's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

Arathorm drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Arathorm off! Arathorm jumps back into Silva's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva is controlling Arathorm's posture.
Arathorm has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Arathorm throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Silva pulls Arathorm in to control the position.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Arathorm stands up over Silva, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Arathorm throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Arathorm blocks a jab.
Arathorm shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silva misses with a looping right.
Matt Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Arathorm sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Arathorm circles away quickly and effectively.
Arathorm dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Arathorm dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Silva throws the left hand but Arathorm avoids the punch easily.
Arathorm avoids the body shot from Silva.
Silva misses with an uppercut. Arathorm saw that one coming.
A jab from Silva misses.
Silva takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Silva lands with a shot to the body.
Silva scores with a punch to the head.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Arathorm was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Silva will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Silva swings and misses with a shot to the body

so Arathorm counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva is pulling down on Arathorm's head. It's preventing any offense from Arathorm, at least for the moment.

Arathorm drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Arathorm jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Arathorm trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Arathorm in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Arathorm is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Silva misses with a hook to the body

so Arathorm counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Arathorm's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arathorm wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.

Arathorm has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Arathorm looking for subs off his back but Silva has passed one foot through into half guard.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Arathorm is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Silva wants to control but Arathorm is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Arathorm actively working from the bottom here.
Silva uses his free foot to push down on Arathorm's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Arathorm.

Silva is working for a guillotine from mount but Arathorm frees his head quite easily.
Arathorm is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Arathorm takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoids the attempt from Arathorm to control.
Arathorm is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Silva scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Arathorm is looking to get to half guard.
Arathorm is working hard here to advance position.
Arathorm slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Silva is looking to advance position but Arathorm won't allow it.

Silva is working for a kimura but Arathorm is defending it quite comfortably.
Arathorm regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arathorm keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Arathorm looking to control.
Arathorm looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.

Arathorm has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Silva forces his way into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aragorn Arathorm will probably get the nod.
That's time! Arathorm's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Arathorm steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Silva.
Silva with a hook.
Silva digs a good hook to Arathorm's body.
Arathorm avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silva connects with a right hand. Arathorm shakes it off.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Silva scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Silva is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Arathorm moves out of range as Silva strikes.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Silva.
Silva misses with a body shot

and Arathorm counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arathorm working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Silva takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Silva is looking to reverse the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Arathorm.
Silva is not content to let Arathorm control the position.
Arathorm working the ground and pound.
Arathorm lands a nice forearm strike.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Silva regains full guard. Nicely done.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva controlling Arathorm's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arathorm lands a couple of digs.
Aragorn Arathorm overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Silva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Arathorm is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva working the ground and pound effectively.
Silva has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Arathorm's face.
Silva scoring with strikes but Arathorm is staying in there.
Arathorm is trying desperately to improve position.
Silva wants to control the pace but Arathorm is squirming around nicely.
Arathorm is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arathorm gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arathorm won't allow Silva to pass to mount.
Arathorm pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.
Silva thows a huge punch but Arathorm dodges it nicely.
Silva works his way into side control.
Arathorm is trying to improve his position.
Arathorm wants to control but Silva postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Silva.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Silva!